Automated storage system and method for storing suspended goods in said storage system

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for storing hanging goods ( 2 ) in an automated storage system ( 1 ), comprising a stationary storage rack ( 5 ) with storing regions for the hanging goods ( 2 ) in storage levels ( 13 ) lying one above the other, and at least one goods transport device ( 7 ) having a base frame ( 30 ), which is displaceable in a first direction in front of the storage rack ( 5 ), and at least one storage and removal device ( 33 ) having a goods displacement means ( 42 ) which is displaceable relative to the base frame in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The hanging goods are moved by the goods displacement means between a goods receiving carrier ( 12 ) associated with one storage region and a goods receiving carrier ( 34 ) associated with the goods transport device, the goods receiving carrier ( 12 ) remaining in the storage regions in the storage rack ( 5 ). The invention further relates to an automated storage system for carrying out said method.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for storing hanging goods on clothes hangers in an automated storage system comprising a stationary storage rack with storage regions for the hanging goods in storage levels lying one above the other, and a goods transport device having a base frame which is displaceable in front of the storage rack in a first direction, and at least one storage and removal device having a goods displacement device which is displaceable relative to the base frame in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, whereby a hanging good of the hanging goods is moved via the goods displacement device between a goods receiving carrier assigned to a storage region of the storage regions and a goods receiving carrier assigned to the goods transport device, and wherein the goods receiving carriers in the storage regions remain in the storage rack,
 wherein
 the goods receiving carriers are oriented parallel with the second direction and the hanging goods on the goods receiving carriers each define a hanging plane extending in a direction perpendicular to the goods receiving carriers; and 
 a gripper unit is mounted on the goods displacement device and the gripper unit grips a clothes hanger of the clothes hangers and can move a hanging good of the hanging goods between the goods receiving carriers and on the goods receiving carriers. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein prior to being stored in the storage rack, the hanging goods are received by a goods receiving carrier at a delivery station and, after having been retrieved from the storage rack are deposited to a goods receiving carrier at a receiving station, and during the receiving and/or deposition operation the hanging goods are moved via the goods displacement device between the goods receiving carrier assigned to the goods transport device and the goods receiving carrier assigned to the delivery and/or receiving station, and the goods receiving carrier at the delivery and/or receiving station remains in the delivery and/or receiving station. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the hanging goods on the goods receiving carriers of the delivery and/or receiving station also each define a hanging plane which extends in a direction perpendicular to the goods receiving carriers. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein a direction of movement for the hanging goods during the receiving and/or deposition movement between the goods receiving carriers extends parallel with the second direction. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the goods displacement device grips a plurality of clothes hangers by via the gripper unit and can move a plurality of the hanging goods as a hanging goods group between the goods receiving carriers assigned to the goods transport device and the delivery and/or receiving station. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein a plurality of the gripper units are mounted on the goods displacement device, and the goods displacement device with each of the gripper units grips a clothes hanger and can move the hanging goods separately between the goods receiving carriers assigned to the goods transport device and the delivery and/or receiving station and on the goods receiving carriers. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the hanging goods are transported between the delivery and/or receiving station and the goods transport device and on the goods transport device as a hanging goods group. 
     
     
       8. An automated storage system for hanging goods on clothes hangers, comprising:
 a stationary storage rack having storage regions for the hanging goods disposed in storage levels lying one above the other; 
 a goods transport device having a base frame which can be moved in front of the storage rack in a first direction; 
 a goods receiving carrier assigned to the goods transport device and arranged on the base frame; 
 goods receiving carriers assigned to the storage regions; 
 at least one storage and removal device having a goods displacement device which can be moved relative to the base frame in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the goods displacement device moves the hanging goods between a goods receiving carrier of the goods receiving carriers assigned to a storage region of the storage regions and the goods receiving carrier assigned to the goods transport device, and the goods receiving carriers assigned to the storage regions remain in the storage rack and are fixedly connected to the storage rack, 
 wherein 
 the goods receiving carriers are oriented parallel with the second direction and the hanging goods on the goods receiving carriers each define a hanging plane which extends in a direction perpendicular to the goods receiving carriers; and 
 wherein the goods displacement device is displaceable relative to the goods carriers in the second direction and is provided with a gripper unit, and the gripper unit grips a clothes hanger of the clothes hangers and can move a hanging good of the hanging goods between the goods receiving carriers and on the goods receiving carriers. 
 
     
     
       9. Automated storage system according to  claim 8 , wherein the storage system adjoins a goods distribution system and has
 a delivery station at which hanging goods to be stored can be collected by the goods transport device; and 
 a receiving station at which hanging goods to be removed from stock can be deposited; 
 wherein the delivery station is equipped with at least one goods receiving carrier and/or the receiving station is equipped with at least one goods receiving carrier; and 
 during the receiving and/or deposition operation, the hanging goods are moved via the storage and removal device between the goods receiving carrier assigned to the goods transport device and the goods receiving carrier assigned to the delivery and/or receiving station. 
 
     
     
       10. The automated storage system according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one goods receiving carrier assigned to the delivery station and/or the at least one goods receiving carrier assigned to the receiving station is also disposed parallel with the second direction and the hanging goods on the goods receiving carrier each define a hanging plane extending in a direction perpendicular to the goods receiving carrier. 
     
     
       11. The automated storage system according to  claim 9 , wherein the goods displacement device is displaceable relative to the goods receiving carrier assigned to the delivery and/or receiving station in the second direction and is provided with a gripper unit which grips a clothes hanger of the clothes hangers and can move a hanging good of the hanging goods between the delivery station and the goods transport device and/or between the receiving station and the goods transport device and on the goods receiving carriers. 
     
     
       12. The automated storage system according to  claim 8 , wherein the goods displacement device comprises at least one telescopic unit with a supporting frame arranged on the base frame and rails displaceable relative to the supporting frame, and the rail with the biggest range of motion is provided with the gripper unit, wherein the gripper unit comprises an outer gripper unit at its oppositely lying end regions, which are each displaceable between an initial position in which the gripper unit is retracted from a clothes hanger of the clothes hangers and an operating position in which the gripper unit can grip a clothes hanger of the clothes hangers. 
     
     
       13. The automated storage system according to  claim 12 , wherein the gripper unit further comprises inner gripper units between the outer gripper units, and the inner gripper units are each displaceable between an initial position in which the gripper unit is retracted from a clothes hanger of the clothes hangers and an operating position in which the gripper unit can grip a clothes hanger of the clothes hangers. 
     
     
       14. The automated storage system according to  claim 8 , wherein the goods displacement device comprises at least one telescopic unit with a supporting frame arranged on the base frame and rails displaceable relative to the supporting frame, and the rail with the biggest range of motion is equipped with a traction device which is coupled with a drive and on which gripper units of the gripper unit are disposed at a mutual distance, and the gripper units are each able to grip at least one clothes hanger. 
     
     
       15. The automated storage system according to  claim 8 , wherein the goods transport device is a single-level rack serving device and the storage system has a number of single-level rack serving devices, and each single-level rack serving device is provided with the storage and removal device and the single-level rack serving device of a storage level services the storage regions in this storage level. 
     
     
       16. An automated storage system for unit loads, comprising:
 at least one storage rack having storage regions for the unit loads disposed in storage levels lying one above the other; 
 guide rails each forming a guide and being disposed in travel planes lying one above the other, and the guides extend parallel with the longitudinal direction of the at least one storage rack and in a guide plane extending parallel with the travel plane, some of which guide rails form first guide rails and some of which guide rails form second guide rails, and the first guide rail ( 10   a ) and/or the second guide rail of each travel plane has a stop surface spatially separate from the guide; and 
 a goods transport device for storing unit loads in the at least one storage rack and retrieving unit loads from the at least one storage rack which are displaceable along the guide rails in a first direction, and the goods transport device comprises:
 a base frame having mutually opposite longitudinal sides, one of which longitudinal sides forms a first longitudinal side and one of which longitudinal sides forms a second longitudinal side; 
 first wheels which lie so as to roll on the guide on the first guide rail and are mounted on the base frame on the first longitudinal side, and second wheels which lie so as to roll on the guide on the second guide rail and are mounted on the base frame on the second longitudinal side; 
 a first stop device on the base frame which forms at least one stop element disposed between the second guide rail and the base frame; and 
 at least one storage and removal device having a goods displacement device displaceable relative to the base frame in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction in order to store unit loads in the at least one storage rack in depth positions lying one behind the other and retrieve unit loads from the at least one storage rack from depth positions lying one behind the other; 
 
 wherein the at least one stop element forms an engaging surface and is disposed with the latter at a slight distance from the stop surface and which co-operates with the stop surface on the second guide rail in such a way that a tipping movement of the goods transport device about the wheels disposed on a first longitudinal side is limited when the goods displacement device is moved out in the second direction and projects out from the first longitudinal side. 
 
     
     
       17. The automated storage system according to  claim 16 , wherein a second stop device is arranged on the base frame which acts as at least one stop element disposed between the first guide rail and the base frame and which co-operates with a stop surface on the first guide rail in such a way that a tipping movement of the goods transport device about the wheels disposed on a second longitudinal is limited when the goods displacement device is moved out in the second direction and projects out from the second longitudinal side. 
     
     
       18. The automated storage system according to  claim 16 , wherein the first stop device and/or second stop device comprises a supporting frame mounted on the base frame and the stop element is configured as a stop wheel which is mounted on the supporting frame and forms a rotational axis extending parallel with a respective rotational axis of the wheels. 
     
     
       19. The automated storage system according to  claim 16 , wherein the stop element of the first stop device and/or second stop device is configured as a stop bracket arranged on the base frame. 
     
     
       20. The automated storage system according to  claim 16 , wherein the stop element is assigned to one of the wheels of each longitudinal side, the stop element and this wheel being disposed at a mutual distance one above the other. 
     
     
       21. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the goods displacement device grips one of the clothes hangers via the gripper unit and can move one of the hanging goods between the goods receiving carriers. 
     
     
       22. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the goods displacement device grips a plurality of the clothes hangers via the gripper unit and can move a plurality of the hanging goods as a hanging goods group between the goods receiving carriers. 
     
     
       23. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of gripper units are mounted on the goods displacement device, and the goods displacement device with each of the gripper units grip a clothes hanger and can move the hanging goods separately between the goods receiving carriers and on the goods receiving carriers. 
     
     
       24. The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the goods displacement device with each of the gripper units grip a plurality of the clothes hangers and can move the hanging goods as a hanging goods group between the goods receiving carriers. 
     
     
       25. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the hanging goods in the respective storage region are stored on the goods receiving carriers as separated hanging goods groups. 
     
     
       26. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the hanging goods are transported between a storage region of the storage regions and the goods transport device as well as on the goods transport device as a hanging goods group. 
     
     
       27. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the goods displacement device grips one of the clothes hangers via the gripper unit and can move one of the hanging goods between the goods receiving carriers assigned to the goods transport device and the delivery and/or receiving station. 
     
     
       28. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the goods displacement device with each of the gripper units grip a plurality of the clothes hangers and can move the hanging goods as a hanging goods group between the goods receiving carriers. 
     
     
       29. The automated storage system according to  claim 8 , wherein the goods displacement device is provided with a plurality of gripper units, wherein the goods displacement device with each of the gripper units grip a clothes hanger and can move the hanging goods separately between the goods receiving carriers and on the goods receiving carriers. 
     
     
       30. The automated storage system according to  claim 9 , wherein the goods displacement device is displaceable relative to the goods receiving carrier assigned to at least one of the delivery and the receiving station in the second direction and is provided with a plurality of gripper units which grip a clothes hanger and can move the hanging goods separately between the delivery station and the goods transport device and/or between the receiving station and the goods transport device and on the goods receiving carriers. 
     
     
       31. An automated storage system for hanging goods, comprising:
 at least one storage rack having storage regions for the hanging goods disposed in storage levels lying one above the other, the at least one storage rack comprises goods receiving carriers assigned to the storage regions; 
 guide rails being disposed in travel planes lying one above the other and extend parallel with the longitudinal direction of the at least one storage rack, wherein the guide rails comprise a first guide rail and a second guide rail in each travel plane; 
 a number of single-level rack serving devices for storing hanging goods in the at least one storage rack and retrieving hanging goods from the at least one storage rack and which are displaceable along the guide rails in a first direction, wherein each of the single-level rack serving devices comprises:
 a base frame having mutually opposite longitudinal sides, one of which longitudinal sides forms a first longitudinal side and one of which longitudinal sides forms a second longitudinal side; 
 first wheels which lie so as to roll on the first guide rail and are mounted on the base frame on the first longitudinal side, and second wheels which lie so as to roll on the second guide rail and are mounted on the base frame on the second longitudinal side; 
 
 a goods receiving carrier arranged on the base frame;
 at least one storage and removal device having a goods displacement device which can be moved relative to the base frame in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the goods displacement device moves at least one hanging good of the hanging goods between a goods receiving carrier of the goods receiving carriers assigned to a storage region of the storage regions and the goods receiving carrier assigned to a single-level rack serving device of the single-level rack serving devices, 
 
 a delivery station having goods receiving carriers in the storage levels lying one above the other and at which one or more hanging goods can be picked up by a single-level rack serving device of the single-level rack serving devices; and 
 a receiving station having goods receiving carriers in the storage levels lying one above the other and at which one or more hanging goods can be deposited by a single-level rack serving device of the single-level rack serving devices; 
 wherein during at least one of a picking and a deposition operation, at least one hanging good of the hanging goods can be moved via the at least one storage and removal device between the goods receiving carrier assigned to the single-level rack serving device and the goods receiving carrier assigned to at least one of the delivery station and the receiving station; 
 the goods receiving carriers assigned to the storage regions, the goods receiving carriers assigned to the delivery and receiving stations and the goods receiving carriers assigned to each of the single-level rack serving devices are oriented parallel with the second direction and the hanging goods on the aforesaid goods receiving carriers each define a hanging plane which extends in a direction perpendicular to the goods receiving carriers. 
 
     
     
       32. The automated storage system according to  claim 31 , wherein the hanging goods each hang on a clothes hanger. 
     
     
       33. The automated storage system according to  claim 32 , wherein the goods displacement device is displaceable relative to a goods receiving carrier of the goods receiving carriers assigned to the storage regions or assigned to the delivery and receiving stations in the second direction and is provided with a gripper unit which grips a clothes hanger and can move a hanging good of the hanging goods between the goods receiving carriers and on the goods receiving carriers. 
     
     
       34. The automated storage system according to  claim 31 , wherein the delivery station and the receiving station are separate delivery and receiving stations which are disposed on both sides of the single-level rack serving devices. 
     
     
       35. The automated storage system according to  claim 31 , wherein the delivery station and the receiving station comprise a combined delivery and receiving station which is disposed on one side of the single-level rack serving devices.